Weight loss for teenage girls can become an obsession. It's a hard enough time for girls without a weight problem. Almost every girl looks at her tiniest flaws as monumental, and for those who are truly overweight, taking off the pounds cannot happen fast enough. However, patience in this and most other arenas in life, is a virtue that will help not hurt. Keeping the following weight loss tips in mind will help you to make smart weight loss choices, and increase your chances of success.

Losing weight quickly can backfire in many cases. You may lose weight fast, but the pounds (and a few of their friends) inevitably return. This is called the boomerang effect. You will lose weight if you cut calories or skip meals, but the loss won't be permanent, and your metabolism will suffer. Your body thinks it is starving, and turns calories into fat for storage in this time of (what your body sees as) starvation.

Instead, many doctors recommend a safe weight loss of 1-2 pounds per week. I know that sounds like peanuts to a teenager who has 20 or more pounds to lose, but the results will be more likely to be permanent if weight loss is accomplished safely.

If you eat smaller (healthy) meals, but eat every couple hours throughout the day, your metabolism will speed up to keep up with the demands, in turn, burning more calories. Keep track of when you eat, and schedule in a snack within 2 hours. Preparing a few low calorie snacks to have on hand is a weapon of many successful healthy weight people. Making mini crustless quiches using the new egg substitute that has a yolk in it is an easy on the go breakfast. Keep them in the fridge for quick snacking, or in the freezer for a toaster oven breakfast.

Try not to have high calorie snacks before bed. A bowl of high fiber cereal will fill you up and take that edge off. If you have a sweet tooth, add a spoonful of sweetened cereal in the bowl with the good stuff. You'll still raise your fiber intake (which can help you to lose 10 pounds in a year by itself) and you won't be adding a huge amount of calories to your body before sleep. Fat free yogurt (a small cup) is also a smart bedtime snack because it has a small amount of protein yet carbs to help you sleep.

Adding activity to your daily routine, no matter how small will slowly add up to calories burned over time. Find an activity that you love, maybe something you did as a child, like swim lessons, or dance, or heck, even riding a bike. If you loved it then, you'd probably enjoy it today. If you build muscle, you may gain a couple pounds, but don't forget that that muscle will be working for you around the clock, burning calories even while you sleep.

A sensible exercise routine, combined with smart eating techniques will help any teenage girl to lose weight without resorting to dangerous fad diets or deadly eating disorders. Any weight loss plan should be done under the supervision of a doctor. Weight loss for teenagers (boys or girls) should be a process that will help them to make healthy lifestyle changes that will stay with them for a lifetime.